Influence of Chemolithotrophic Bacteria on Corrosion Rates of Galvanised and Mild Steel in Sea and Tap Water
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Abstract
Microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) represents a complex interplay between microbial communities, their metabolic activities, and the physicochemical characteristics of the surrounding environment. This study investigated the roles of diverse bacterial isolates in the corrosion of mild and galvanised steel exposed to seawater and freshwater systems. Galvanised and mild steel bars were obtained, prepared and suspended in sea, tap, and sterile distilled water for 365 days. Physicochemical parameters and bacterial loads of the water samples were monitored at an interval of 90 days. Bacteria were isolated on Baar’s and 9K media. Corrosion rates of the steel samples were estimated across the different water samples. Isolated bacteria were identified by means of conventional biochemical and molecular methods using 16S rRNA gene. The identified bacterial isolates, Clostridium beijerinckii, Bacillus altitudinis, Alcaligenes faecalis, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Clostridium diolis and Neobacillus niacin, play mechanistically distinct yet synergistic roles in corrosion processes. Strict anaerobes such as Clostridium spp. contribute to MIC via biofilm formation and production of corrosive metabolites, including organic acids and sulphides, which destabilize metal surfaces. Facultative and aerobic organisms such as Alcaligenes and Bacillus spp. influence corrosion through biosurfactant production, oxygen depletion, and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) synthesis. The corrosion rate was highest in mild steel, with 19.97 µm/Yr in sea water at day 365. The formation of multispecies biofilms was identified as a critical functional driver of corrosion, enabling metabolic cooperation between aerobic and anaerobic populations. The study accentuates the role of bacteria in supporting an increased rate of steel corrosion.
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